Jets improve to 4-0-0 with another home win on Friday.
The San Jose Sharks of 2024-25 are not much better than that of the team that finished in 32nd-place last year.
Sure, they are without Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, William Eklund and Logan Couture, but things were not pretty for the boys in teal on Friday.
Entering the Western Conference battle at Canada Life Centre with the Winnipeg Jets at 0-2-2, the winless Sharks fell behind quickly, and gave up goals rather often.
Ultimately, it was a heavily lopsided 8-3 final for the visitors, falling to the now 4-0-0 Jets.
Six Jets had multiple points in the outing, while 10 total players picked up points on the night.
Winnipeg's second line combined for five goals and 11 points on the night, breaking out of their difficult slump to start the season.
“I thought the first three games weren’t the greatest for us," Vlad Namestnikov said post-game. "We really couldn’t get anything going. But tonight, we are all using our speed and our skill, getting those pucks on net, and it worked out today.”
Mackenzie Blackwood gave up two stinkers in the frame, including the game's opening goal - a long-range Josh Morrissey wrist shot from the left point just 1:59 into the period.
After getting the party started early, Winnipeg pounded the pavement to the tune of three more goals before 20 minutes had even drained off the clock.
Alongside Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers and Neal Pionk also found their first goals of the season in the frame. Ehlers liked it so much the first time, he did it again for his second of the game as the period wore on.
“Yeah, we knew that was eventually going to come," Perfetti said following the game.
"It didn’t come the first three games and we were struggling a little bit with that stuff. We talked about it as a line. We were pretty positive that we found a lot of success last year and we knew it was going to come. It just took a couple games and hopefully now the floodgates are open. I think that was a really good confidence game for our line.”
The Jets also gave up their first power play goal against in the frame, as former Jet Tyler Toffoli got his fourth of the year on a power play redirection. And with two power play goals of their own, the Jets improved to 5/10 on the season.
Entering the middle stanza up 4-1 and ahead 15-8 on the shot chart, Winnipeg was adamant to continue the offensive onslaught, showing no mercy to its visiting competition.
Kyle Connor made it 5-1 just two minutes into the second, scoring another Jets goal off a strong wrist shot, high. That ended Blackwood's night, as Vitek Vanecek entered the game in relief.
But midway through the second, Luke Kunin got the Sharks back on the board, sneaking a wrist shot five-hole through Connor Hellebuyck - who was taking in the sights and sounds of Hellebuyck Night in Winnipeg.
But with the Vezina and Jennings trophies in attendance, the all-star netminder buckled down and grabbed his fourth win of the young season.
Cole Perfetti was the next Jet to find his first of the season, as the young forward got the puck on his stick in the slot and made no mistake grabbing Winnipeg its third power play goal of the game.
The fourth power play goal wasn't far behind, with Perfetti doubling down on a wicked one-time blast, extending the Jets' lead once again.
Going 4/7 on the night, Winnipeg improved to an incredible 7/14 on the power play through four games.
Namestnikov added one more for good measure with just 32 seconds left in the game, helping improve the Jets' goals-for total.
“Whenever you score, it gives you a boost of confidence," Namestnikov added. "But in this league you can’t get too high and you can’t get too low. We kind of enjoy the night tonight, but then move on to Pittsburgh.”
Hellebuyck finished the night with 19 stops on the 22 pucks directed his way, sending fans home happy with their free goaltender pennants and another victory on home ice to start the season.
Next up for Winnipeg is the final test of the season-opening four-game homestand. Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins make their lone visit to Canada Life Centre on Sunday afternoon. The game can be viewed live on TSN at 2:00 PM central time.
